I just had a major disaster while trying to make a fairy out of MMF!!! Everything started great, but then gradually my beautiful fairy started to look like she was melting and eventually turned into a creature similar to Jaba the hut! What's the deal? Am I doing something wrong or is MMF just too soft to work with for figure sculpting ! should I just buy a box wilton fondant and call it a day or what!! Can anyone please help? I want to get these fairies done so that they have plenty of time to dry.

have you tried adding just a bit of gumtex to your ps before adding it to the marshmallows?

Sounds like you have hot hands. You could add more powdered sugar to it & some gum-tex or gumpaste to it. It makes it more pliable (sp). Good Luck!

I've never made them with mmf. I've used 1/2 wilton fondant and 1/2 gum paste. That might help.

I make things with MMF all the time & always put gum-tex in it. I like working with MMF because it is softer to work with. Wilton fondant is harder & takes forever to get it to a stage where it's easy to work with.

I've made 4 figurines in the last week - the first 3 with the pre-made wilton fondant (experienced some sagging) and the latest with a homemade batch of the European fondant with gum-tex mixed in (actually, I kneaded the powder in after it was made since I forgot it in the process of mixing)

The fondant with gum-tex definitely dries faster.... I'd suggest grabbing a thing of pre-made fondant, add some gum-tex to it and go. that way you can get the figurines done and dried in time with the least hassle.

Do folks REALLY eat the figurines? I don't think so - so taste really isn't an issue here right? (reason why MMF is preferred to regular fondant?)

EDITED for my atrocious (sp?) spelling! *grin*

I use 1/2 gumpaste and 1/2 mmf when make models and it has worked very well for me- they don't dry quite as fast as gumpaste alone so you have extra work time.....but it sets fast enough that it doesn't droop !!( far from an expert here though!!!)

Where do I find Gumtex? Do they sell it at Micheal's? I do have very warm hands and when I am piping I have to switch off between bags in the fridge! I was sculpting my fairy like the tutorial I wasn't really holding the MMf in my hands , I was adding it in layers to my figure and it seemed to just droop into a blob. Do I need to let it dry some before adding more pieces?

Moptop-I agree, I don't think anyone will want to eat the figures. Geez, you probably chip a tooth if you tried. I don't care how the figures taste as long as the cake tastes good!

I ran into a similar problem last night. I was making some "Handy Manny" figures for my daughters cake with fondant made from Toba Garrett's recipe. The fondant was so soft nothing was staying. So, I tried adding Gumtex and that didn't help much. I added a little more powdered sugar, that helped a little. Finally, I got out my container of Wilton Gumpaste mix and added some of that to my fondant. Finally, they stayed. Not to mention this morning they are nice and dry. So if you don't have gumpaste mixed up the gumpaste powder works well.

I always use premade Wilton fondant for figures and just cover the cake in MMF. As stated above, I can't imagine people trying to eat the figures!

MMF is cheapier that's why I use it Gum-tex should be sold anywhere cakes supplies are sold

Ok, I see every is suggesting add gumpaste or gumtex to the mmf, but how much? Are you suggesting make up a batch or gumpaste and mix it in with the mmf or add it by the teaspoon full? I would really like to know as I plan to start playing around with modeling.

Thanks!

I think cheapness was why I decided to use MMf in the 1st place, because yesterday when I was going through my cupboards I realized I had everything I needed to make it. Since I was excited to get started right away, I figured it would save me the hassle of having to load up the kids and go to Micheal's. Instead it turned out so dissapointing! My fairy started out so cute too! Now since I have to go to the store to get gumtex anyways I'm wondering if I should just break down and buy Wilton's and not even bother to make a new batch of MMF. What would you do?[/quote]

You don't have to make a new batch of fondant. Just knead the gumtex into the fondant.

I need to make a new batch of fondant because I used what I had in an attempt to rescue my sagging fairy. Now that she is a big blob all the different colors are morfed together and I don't think I can salvage it.

Thank God I am not alone in this mood today, I am ready to throw Quick Books Pro and every one attached to it threw a window on the 25th floor of a building. I am not a drinker...but today..today could be the start of a new era. Would you care to join me??

Good luck and I am sure they will turn out perfectly.

Ha Ha!! I know what you mean about throwing stuff out the window!! I totally felt the same way about my daughters cheap A@@ Dora DVD player! Luckily I composed myself and after too many times trying to get spongebob to play I just broke down and bought a new player. I don't even know why I'm so frustrated today, I guess when your excited about a project and it starts badly it can put you in a mood! Thanks for the support everyone!

I am in the process of completing pooh figures from MMF. I've read about the gumtex, but didn't add any to my first batch when I started last week(wanted to know how it would work out). I had no problems , after completing a figure, I just set them in the microwave and they dried out over a few day span. I think as a previous poster said, maybe you just have warm hands- a lot of us do. More sugar would probably be a big help if you're not in the mood to run out for gumtex. I wouldn't suggest using wiltons pe-made. If the cake is for kids, they're definately gonna want to know-"can we eat the fairy?" Good Luck.

The cake is for my very sweet and slightly eccentric sister-law, who is turning 26. No one in my family likes the texture of fondant, so whenever I do use it it is for figures only. She loves my cakes and is one of my biggest supporters and always lets me create whatever my heart desires!!

Well if you are sure that no one is gonna eat the fairy just get the wiltons and be done with it. That way everyone is happy; you because you got to make an adorable cake for your SIL and her because you made an adorable cake just for her.

Hmmm....I'm curious about the nuking as well. I agree though cakejunkie, I've lost my mind three times and MMF was involved in each one of them!! That stuff is always too sticky for my hands, no matter how much freekin shortening I add. Then if I cover a cake in it & refrigerate (I use whipped cream in many of my fillings), the fondant gets all shiney and droopy looking. So I can sympathize. One time I made a bat with MMF, I used gumtex, and the next morning the bat's wings had melted into a puddle on the floor of the fridge.....#!@*ing MMF!

I think doitallmom was saying she just sticks the figure in the microwave to sit up to dry. Just to have somewhere to dry, not turning the power on.

I want to like MMF, but every time I try to use it something goes wrong. If just make it work it would be so economical! I am in the process of getting the kids dressed and ready to go to Micheal's, I will let everyone know what happens on my second go around with the fairies. If it doesn't work this time I might have to go with a different theme for my cake. However I really want this to work out because the theme so suits my SIL!

I use the Wilton Fondant mixed with Gumtex for figures. i tell the kids the figures are for them to keep, not eat. Some eat them anyways but they don't complain about the taste.

I wouldn't cover a cake with the horrid Wilton stuff though.